Double-Layer Tobacco Strand Width Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

The quality and stability of double-layer tubular strands and tubes in the tobacco processing industry are compromised due to variations in the width of the base material strip, leading to inconsistent outer diameters and reduced stability, as edges may overlap or underlap, affecting the quality and suitability for applications like filter cigarettes and heat-not-burn products.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that control the cutting process to set predetermined widths for the material strips, ensuring consistent gluing and forming into tubular strands, where the edges of the first strip determine the outer diameter, minimizing variance and optimizing stability by ensuring edges abut, thus maintaining quality within specified tolerance ranges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If two material strips of the same width are used to form double-layer tubular strands, then the production process is simple, but the edges will separate or overlap after forming, reducing quality and stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction process simplicityVSAvoidedge alignment precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The base material strip is segmented into two separate material strips with different widths through controlled cutting. The first strip has width W1 and the second strip has width W2, where W1 ≠ W2. This segmentation allows each strip to be positioned independently, preventing edge separation or overlap when formed into the double-layer tubular strand, thus resolving the edge alignment precision issue while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If the width of the base material strip changes due to production defects, then the outer diameter of the produced strands changes, but using controlled cutting with width measurement can maintain consistent outer diameter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetolerance to base material width variationVSAvoidouter diameter consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A measuring element is introduced to continuously monitor the width of the base material strip before cutting. The measuring element provides feedback to a control element, which automatically adjusts the cutting position to compensate for width variations. This feedback loop ensures that the first material strip consistently has the predetermined width W1, maintaining consistent outer diameter of the produced strands even when the base material strip width varies due to production defects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting position is dynamically adjusted based on the measured width of the base material strip. By changing the cutting parameter (position) in response to width variations, the system maintains a constant width W1 for the first material strip, thereby ensuring consistent outer diameter of the final product despite variations in the base material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If edges of material strips are butted together to minimize outer diameter variance, then quality is improved, but complex control mechanisms are needed to maintain precise alignment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveedge butting precisionVSAvoidcontrol mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The widths of the two material strips are predetermined and set in advance during the cutting process. The first strip is cut to width W1 and the second strip to width W2, with the relationship W1 + W2 = constant. This preliminary setting of widths ensures that when the strips are butted together, their edges align precisely without requiring complex real-time control mechanisms during the forming process, thus achieving high edge butting precision with simpler control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach ensures consistently high-quality tubular strands with stable outer diameters, independent of base material strip width variance, enhancing the stability and suitability of the produced strands for various applications by maintaining edges in abutment and outer diameter within tolerance ranges, preventing material wastage and ensuring product suitability.

Implementation Method 1

at least the second material strip is glued, in particular the gluing is carried out over the entire surface or almost the entire surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesive bonding: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3381303B1Method for producing at least double-layer tubular strands in the tobacco processing industry and device for producing at least double-layer strands of tobacco
Publication Date: 2021.11.10 KORBER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP3381303B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3381303B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3381303B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for producing at least double-layered tubular strands for the tobacco processing industry and to a device for producing at least double-layered strands for the tobacco processing industry. To produce a strand (31), a base material strip (24) is cut into a first material strip (25) with a first width and a second material strip (26) with a second width, wherein the width of the first or the second material strip (25, 26) is measured and the cutting process is controlled such that the width of this material strip is regulated to a predetermined value.